HINDRANCES TO ECONOMIC SUCCESS AMONG SMALL MEDIUM AND MICRO ENTREPRENEURS INVOLVED IN INFORMAL CROSS-BORDER TRADE (ICBT) BETWEEN MALAWI AND SOUTH AFRICA

This paper critically looks at Informal Cross Border Trade (ICBT) (10) conducted by small, medium and micro entrepreneurs between Malawi and South Africa. The focus is on the hindrances to economic success among the traders who have been involved in the cross border trade for economic sustainability and poverty alleviation. It has been shown in this paper that poverty which is so prevalent in Malawi and in some parts of South Africa forces people to go into business so that they can find means to improve and sustain their lives. The earnings made from the small scale businesses are used by households to buy basic essential commodities and if any extra money is available, are used to buy some luxury goods for their homes. People have been conducting trade between nations for a long time. This has developed over the years between Malawi and South Africa especially after South Africa opened its borders to the African Continent after the democratic elections of 1994.